With the look of a shrink-rayed professional espresso machine, the grinning fizzog of shaven-headed culinary chemist Heston Blumenthal on the box and a price tag that puts it out of reach of all but the most well-heeled caffeine fiend, the Barista Express (branded as Breville in the US and Sage in the UK) is clearly aimed at those seeking a major step up in their home-brewed coffee.

This machine can invade your dreams with all its capabilities. One of the coolest is its ability to automatically fully clean itself but don’t forget about the straight forward programming, which is so simple the only time you’ll need the manual is to figure out what buttons to hold down. Last but not lease, the capabilities of customizing your drink is even above the ESAM3500, which is impressive

Although it may seem somewhat inconvenient, we like it because it makes it easier to clean the milk container. Other features that come with the ENA 9 include a sturdy conical burr grinder, an energy saver mode to keep your electricity bills under control, and customizable coffee strengths. Also, you can adjust the amount of water that comes out, both in your coffee or if you want to use the machine as a hot water dispenser.